874 TRAVELS IN THE UNITED STATES : 
Of the peculiar soil of the plains that are 
situated towards the center of this island, I have 
before had' occasion to speak, when describing; 
those in the western parts of the states of New 
York. One plain here, somewhat different 
from the rest, is profusely covered with stunted 
oaks and pines; but no grain will gvow upon 
it, though it has been cleared, and experiments 
have been made for that purpose in many dif¬ 
ferent places. This one goes under the ap¬ 
pellation of Brushy Plain. Immense quanti¬ 
ties of grouse and deer are found amidst the 
brushwood with which'it is covered, and which 
is so well calculated to afford shelter to these 
animals. Laws have been passed, not long 
since, to prevent the wanton destruction of the 
deer; in consequence of which they are be¬ 
ginning to increase most rapidly, notwith¬ 
standing such great numbers are annually kill¬ 
ed, as well for the New York market, as for 
the support of the inhabitants of the island; 
indeed it is found that they are now increasing 
in most of the settled parts of the states of 
New York, where there is sufficient wood t© 
harbour them; whereas in the Indian terri¬ 
tories, the deer, as well as most other wild 
animals, are becoming scarcer every year, not- 
k 
withstanding that the number of Indian hun¬ 
ters is also decreasing; but these people pur¬ 
sue the same destructive system of hunting 
